I Can Surprise You
by Splash123
Summary: A story told in three parts of how James and Lily came to be friends, then fell in love. JP/LE
1. Chapter 1

**Hi everyone, this is my first posted HP fanfic. Please feel free to leave any comments, especially constructive criticism. I will update soon! Thanks! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.**

* * * * *

Ever feel like you've got nobody? You can be surrounded by people, people who love you, but you just can't connect. You're alone, even though you appear to be surrounded.

That's how I'd felt ever since fifth year, when my best friend in the world turned on me, hit me in the one spot where he _knew_ could hurt he could hurt me. From that day on, I've felt isolated from everyone.

And I knew it was stupid to feel like that. I had my parents. I had my friends. I had half the guys in my year who were obsessed with me.

But my parents didn't understand about magical stuff. They loved me, sure, and they were proud of their little witch. But they just didn't _get_ it. And I had no solid group of friends. I was the popular kind of kid who could hang out with almost anyone and have a good time, but no one to go to when I needed solid advice or a shoulder to cry on. And the guys at school were all jerks. Especially that stupid James Potter, Head Boy. As fellow Heads, we were technically supposed to be unified and work together, but I'd arranged the patrols so I didn't have to see him more than necessary.

* * * * *

I needed a walk. I needed a breather. I needed some peace. I ran from the owlery, crying, all the way down those many staircases and stories, running to get myself into my secluded corner by the lake, dropping Petunia's latest hateful letter as I went. I was flying across the grounds when I heard someone ask, "Lily? What's going on? Are you all right?"

I whirled around. If it were James, I was going to curse him, but it was Remus Lupin. Sirius, Pettigrew, and James were nowhere in sight.

"Oh, I'm JUST FREAKING _DANDY_!" I screamed. A few people turned to look at me, but no one interrupted.

He looked scared for a minute, and then a sympathetic look came over his face. "I'm sorry," he said, "Is there anything I can do?"

"No, but thanks. It's my family, my sister, actually, and she's just…" I shook my head, trying to calm down. "She's just being really horrible about everything, and I'm stressed. But I shouldn't yell at you. I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine," he said. "Don't worry about it. Do you want to get something to eat, or talk, or something? That might make you feel better."

I debated for a second. "Sure," I said. Lupin was nice, easy to talk to. I spilled out the entire story to him over the walk back to the castle. We sat together for dinner, and then his friends walked in. My heart stopped. I did not need harassment right now from James.

They sat down around us.

"Hi, Lily," Pettigrew said.

"Hey, Evans," came from Sirius.

"Hi," James said. I was shocked. It appears that he actually noticed my red, swollen eyes, my pale face, the tear tracks on my cheeks, and decided not to annoy me. I had never been happier to be left alone.

Dinner passed in a few jokes between the guys, some teacher-bashing, random Quidditch stuff, all of them polite to me, including me in their conversations. I was actually in a better mood when I left to go to bed early. It was so weird: dealing with the Marauders made me feel better. They sure could surprise me.

* * * * *

Seconds after Lily left, James turned on Remus.

"How the _hell _did you do that?" he asked. "I've been trying to get her to eat within ten feet of me since our first year! And you get it on your first try! Did I screw it up?"

Remus shrugged. "I saw her crying out by the lake, and I felt bad, and we talked our way back up to the castle, and then she sat down by me, and then you guys came, and I guess she was too polite to just jump up and leave, and—yeah, that's about it."

James sat there for a few seconds, stunned. "I hate you, Moony."

Remus laughed. "I'm so hurt."

"Did I mess up?" James looked nervous for a second.

Sirius shook his head. "Prongs, that girl turns your head to spaghetti. You did fine. Now shut up and stop flipping out."


	2. Chapter 2

**Okay, this update is really soon, but I'm not sure how much free time I will have tomorrow so I thought that I would post this. Thanks to IsolmelySwearThatIAmUpToNoGood and You're Just As Sane As I Am for their reviews, I love reviews!**

* * * * *

It was really weird how everything went down after that. I ate breakfast alone, but at lunch, when I saw them, I sort of walked towards them, trying not to look like I was desperate for company. When Remus asked if I wanted to sit next to them, I gratefully did, and pretended not to notice the excited look James shot to Remus.

It was just like last time: polite, inclusive, fun. I couldn't believe that James, Sirius, and Pettigrew could actually be that nice. Remus, I'd always known.

At dinner, I sat next to them without waiting to be asked, hoping none of them would think it was weird. No one did.

A week later, it was a given that I would sit with them at mealtimes.

I got another letter from Petunia, almost as nasty as the one that had started me on my crying rampage not too long ago. I read it once before incinerating it.

_Dear Lily,  
I'm writing to say that my last letter was incorrect. Mum is making me invite you to my wedding. So it's at six o'clock a week from Saturday, and even though you're on the guest list, I don't want you there. If you show up I will lock you out. I hate your stupid magic guts and I never want to see you again. Petunia.  
P.S. Stop sending me letters. And if you absolutely must, stop sending them with owls. They're freaky, just like you._

When I got this letter, I didn't even cry as I set it aflame. The Marauders turned up just as I was running the soft ash through my fingers and cheered me up by telling stories of their own relatives. James really got me laughing with his stories about his Squib Great-Great-Great-Aunt Arabella and her cats.

And about a week after that, I started joining them on their random walks on the grounds. I still hung out with other people, especially when they talked about sneaking into Hogsmeade or something like that, but occasionally I did join in their pranks, and I loved it.

And after a while, James did start his flirting again, especially when he thought that I was in a good mood, but I discovered that when I rolled my eyes and told him shut up, he usually complied. So this way, I was able to ignore how obsessed he was with me. That was, until Lupin pulled me aside one day.

"Okay, Lily," he said. "You're not an idiot. Pr—James is obsessed with you."

"I kind of figured that one out on my own."

He sighed. "Yeah. I figured. Anyway, he's driving us nuts. He's going to try and ask you to Hogsmeade."

"He's been asking me to Hogsmeade since we were in third year and first allowed to go."

"But that was before you started giving him the time of day."

Okay, he did make a point there.

"So what I'm asking," Lupin continued, "is that you seriously consider taking him up on it. One afternoon. That's all I'm asking."

"Aw, Remus! You have _got _to be kidding me. There is nobody I hate more than James." I knew that wasn't totally true anymore, but I still had to say it. On principle, you know?

Lupin changed tactics. "Why do you hate him so much?"

"He's arrogant, he never stops harassing me, he's mean to others—"

"Really, Lily? Is all of that _still _true?"

And then Lupin turned and walked away.

* * * * *

The next day, I was walking to the library to do some Potions homework when James caught up with me.

"Uh—Lily?" he asked.

I braced myself. I knew what was coming.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend."

I sighed, wondering how to let him down gently. "James, you aren't the prat I thought you were. But I still don't think I want to date you."

James didn't give up. "I'll make a deal with you," he said. "I take you to Hogsmeade. You decide whether you want to date me or not. I can really surprise you, if you'll jut give me one chance. If you do decide to date me, great. If you don't, we go back to friends, or whatever we are, and I will _never flirt with you again_. Ever."

I chewed my lip. Lupin's words were swirling around in my head. James's hopeful face was heartbreaking. And the deal sounded excellent. But still—

"Okay. But I have two conditions."

Hid face showed nothing but pure happiness. "Anything," he promised.

"One, don't do anything stupid. If you bring me flowers or something idiotic like that, I'm not going. And two, if you take me to Madame Puddifoot's, I _will _hex you."

He laughed. "Lily, if you were the king of girl who liked that kind of stuff, I wouldn't _want _to take you to Hogsmeade."

We tried to make small talk after that, but it didn't really work, so we said our awkward goodbyes. After he left, I banged my head against the wall a few times. I was an idiot.

As I walked into the library, Lupin was walking out. "You owe me, big time," I told him angrily. _Why _had I let him talk me into this?

* * * * *

James ran into the Gryffindor common room, which was practically deserted. Sirius and Pettigrew were playing Exploding Snap.

"So…?" Sirius asked.

"She said yes, as long as—"

"HA!" Sirius yelled. "Ten Galleons, Worm. Pay up!"

_"What_? She said yes? What if I don't have ten Galleons?"

Sirius and Pettigrew started arguing.

Lupin walked in. "I assume she said yes?"

James nodded. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

"I walked in on her trying to give herself a concussion."

James rolled his eyes. "I've got my work cut out for me next Saturday, don't I?"


	3. Chapter 3

**I know it's been a long time since, I've updated, but if anyone's still interested, here is the third and final part!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter**

* * *

The next day, James and I met by the entrance and walked into Hogsmeade together, talking about nothing in particular: classes, who would win the Quidditch Cup. Without even thinking about it, really, we ended up drinking butterbeers in a booth at the Three Broomsticks.

"What are your friends doing while you're with me?" I asked.

"Slughorn gave Peter detention, he didn't do his Potions homework, Sirius is visiting one of his cousins--Andromeda, I think her name is--she's been exiled from the Black family too, not that she really cares, and Remus is...visiting his mother. She's sick again."

I rolled my eyes. I wasn't stupid. "Huh. She seems to get sick right around the full moon a lot."

James paled.

I looked at his fearful face and sighed. Did he really think I would screw a friend over like that? "I've noticed this since our second year. Why, exactly, would I run to tell everyone now?"

James relaxed. "Thanks. He's seriously screwed if anyone finds out. The teachers all know, but not any students but us. And you, apparently. And Sniv--Severus."

I could feel my face twist. I'd accepted that we couldn't be friends anymore long ago, but it still hurt a little bit. "He won't tell anyone."

"Thank God. By the way, I'm really sorry for our fifth year. I messed up bad that time."

Lily sighed. "He was bound to slip and call me that sooner or later. Don't blame yourself."

They sat quietly for a few minutes, drinking their butterbeer in companionable silence, until James sat up. "Hey," he said, "have you ever been through the secret passsageways?"

* * *

We walked slowly through the forest, taking our time, not really talking. My mind was brewing.

_What the _hell_ are you thinking, Lily Evans? This is _James Potter._ You hate his guts. You only went on this date as a favor to Remus. _I frowned._ Okay. You don't hate his guts. But you don't like him. Like, at all. Especially not like that. _I bit my lip._ Okay. He's really not what you thought he was. He's not so bad. But that still doesn't mean you should go out with him, for God's sake! Tell him no. Tell him we can stay friends. Or whatever we are. _

As if he was reading my mind, James prodded, "So…?"

I knew what he was asking. And without thinking, I answered. I stepped in front of him, looked him straight in the eye, and did something I never thought I'd do: I wrapped my arms around his neck, leaned in, closed my eyes, and kissed him.

Very, very tenderly, like he was afraid he'd scare me off if he moved faster than two miles per hour, he wrapped his own arms around my waist and pulled me close. I never wanted to break apart. He put one hand on my hair, running his fingers through it lightly. I shivered.

When we broke apart, I looked him in the face, very intently. "You're not who I thought you were, James Potter," I told him.

He grinned. "Told you I could surprise you."

And then we laughed and he kissed me again and I stopped thinking…I couldn't think, thinking might tear my mind away from him…I only let myself feel, and all I felt was joy and excitement.

* * *

By the end of the night the whole school knew that I had "given in" to James. People came up to me: to say I was an idiot for waiting that long; I was an idiot for choosing him; I was an idiot and they were jealous of me. It was somewhat strange, but I was actually giddy with happiness. Bring on the hate mail, Petunia. I doubted even that would bring me down for long.

I went to bed early that night, but I couldn't fall asleep for a long time. I actually became afraid. I had to have had a reason to hate him for so long, so why did it seem to disappear? Where did it go? What was I doing?

But the next day, when I ate lunch with him and his friends, and we laughed just as much as we usually did, I felt all right again.

We fell deeper and deeper in love. We got married. We had a son.

And even though we died way earlier than we'd hoped for, you know what? I regret nothing.

Especially not letting him surprise me.

* * *

**So that's it! I hope you enjoyed it! I'll probably post more Lily/James fics later, but they'll probably be one-shots, because I think I'm better at writing those. Check back every now and then! Thanks!**


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